Antarctica is a huge icy continent, almost twice the size of Australia. This is the only place on Earth almost untouched by man. Most of the land in Antarctica is covered with ice, which retreats in coastal areas in the summer. Here on some mountain peaks there is never snow. adapted to extremely low temperatures.
The southern circumpolar continent Antarctica has unique natural conditions. Like all the continents of the southern group, it is part of Gondwana and differs little in its surface structure from its other parts. However, according to geographical location The continent of Antarctica has no analogues. Only here a large area of land (14 million km 2) is located in the polar region, almost completely beyond the Arctic Circle. The second feature of the continent is its complete isolation from other continents. The continent of Antarctica is washed by the waters of the Southern Ocean with the powerful current of the Western Winds. An atmospheric depression forms over the ocean throughout the year, which prevents air masses from low latitudes from reaching the coast of the mainland. Due to these circumstances, as well as the fact that the Southern Hemisphere is colder than the Northern Hemisphere. As a result, the climatic conditions of the Antarctic continent contribute to the preservation of thick ice cover. It, in turn, increases the severity of the climate, as it reflects a large part of the already reduced flux of solar radiation. In addition, heat in summer is spent on melting ice. Harsh climate is the main distinguishing feature the nature of the continent, which determines the characteristics of all natural components.
Average monthly summer temperatures in most of the continent do not rise above 0°C, and in the central regions they are below -30°C. In winter, average monthly temperatures vary from -16°C on the coast to -64°C and lower in the center. The lowest temperature on Earth was recorded here -89.2°C. The severity of the climate is aggravated by strong katabatic winds and, on the coast, cyclonic storms. Cyclones of the polar front in the summer capture the coast of the Antarctic continent. Temperatures usually drop at this time, as the weather is cloudy. Winds high speeds accompanied by snow storms.
There is very little liquid water on the mainland due to constantly low temperatures. Some meltwater flows over the ice surface into the ocean in the summer. At the same time, short streams and small lakes appear in Antarctic oases (relatively small areas in the coastal part, free of ice). in a liquid state was discovered during drilling in some places under a thick layer of ice.
The ice cover of the Antarctic continent is unique, the thickness of which reaches 4700 meters. There are all types of glaciers on the continent: ice sheets, mountain glaciers, shelf glaciers and various mountain glaciers.
Ice sheets - the Eastern, Western and Antarctic Peninsulas are interconnected, but each has its own feeding area. In the central parts of the shields, the thickness of the ice is greatest: the directly measured thickness of the cover in one of the points of the Eastern Shield is known - 4776 meters. The ice spreads from the domes, and its thickness decreases towards the outskirts. In cases where the direction of the subglacial valleys coincides with general direction movement, outlet glacial streams appear tens and sometimes hundreds of kilometers long. Thus, the Lambert Glacier is about 500 km long. The ice in these “ice rivers” moves faster than in the central parts of the domes and in neighboring areas, where it is impeded by protrusions of the subglacial relief. The edge of the ice sheet moves in some areas at a speed of 10-30 meters per year, and in outlet glaciers the movement has a speed of hundreds and even more than a thousand meters per year. Icebergs break off from the edge of glaciers different sizes and shapes. Especially large icebergs- entire ice fields give rise to ice shelves. The area of such fields can reach tens of thousands of kilometers, which is why they can be called ice islands.
The relief of the snow-ice surface with numerous cracks, snowy hills and ramparts, sastrugi, etc. is interesting and unique.
The organic world of the continent of Antarctica is also unique. Only a few organisms can live in the harsh climate of the continent. Ice-free surfaces are occupied mainly by lichens; colorful microscopic algae develop on the melting snow in summer. Higher plants (about 10 species of grass) are found only on the Antarctic Peninsula north of 64° S. sch. There are few animals on the continent of Antarctica. There are no land mammals, only small crustaceans, worms and wingless insects are found. The coast and coastal ice are home to animals whose lives are closely connected with the sea: pinnipeds emerge from the water, and seabirds live in the summer. The most numerous and interesting penguins different types which find food in the sea and hatch their chicks on the surface of the ice.
There is no permanent population in Antarctica. Scientific stations and bases of different countries have a rotating staff of researchers and service personnel. The harsh natural conditions of the mainland force people to take expensive life support measures. Special housing, clothing, technical equipment and vehicles help people live and work in conditions that are practically unsuitable for existence. We have to solve problems and psychological support necessary for survival. People working in Antarctica are specially selected for their health and mental characteristics. However, their stay on the mainland is limited, and the population of stations and bases is constantly renewed.
Thus, it can be argued that natural conditions played a large role in the appearance of man on the Southern continents and in the settlement of people throughout their territory. They continue to influence human life today, despite all the efforts of science and technology aimed at weakening this influence. Taking into account the nature of specific regions is necessary in any type of human activity.
Its territory serves as a base for scientific research. The nature of the continent of Antarctica is of interest from many points of view: the processes that occur in the atmosphere are involved in the formation of the general circulation, and therefore the climate of the entire Earth; ice layers with gases, dust, and organisms preserved in them contain information about the past of the planet. Studying the ice cover allows us to understand what happened in the areas of the Pleistocene glaciation of the Northern Hemisphere and much more. Research into the state of the ozone layer over the continent is very important. Scientific research is carried out by a number of countries. The 1959 treaty provides for the free exchange of information.
The main wealth of the Antarctic continent is its huge reserves of fresh water, but so far there are no economically viable projects for their use. The depths of the continent contain deposits of various minerals, but their exploration and production require a lot of effort and money.
This is a demilitarized zone in which all types of military activities are prohibited, including weapons testing and strategic mineral mining.
Harsh natural conditions are practically unsuitable for human life. The staff of scientific stations consists of people carefully selected and trained in all respects (professional qualifications, physiological and psychological parameters etc.). Significant funds are spent on their livelihoods.
The vulnerable nature of the continent requires an exceptionally careful and thoughtful approach to literally every action on the continent and the use of its resources.
Ice continent Antarctica
Antarctica is the coldest and driest continent on Earth. Over 99% of its surface is covered with ice, the thickness of which reaches over 5 km. In the center of the continent lies an icy region, where snow falls 3-7 cm per year and temperatures range from -50 to -60 degrees Celsius. In coastal areas the temperature is higher, about -10...-20 °C. In summer, the snow on the coast melts, revealing a narrow strip of rocky soil. Coastal islands are also cleared of snow. In winter, the sea around the coast freezes, forming pack ice. The pack ice boundary is located at a distance of 2 thousand km from the coast. Pack ice is farthest from the coast in September.
Research in Antarctica
Scientists from many countries work at research stations in Antarctica and on the surrounding islands. They study the weather conditions, ecosystems, geography and geology of the continent. Scientists are also monitoring climate change, pollution levels and the size of ozone holes over Antarctica. Weather conditions are measured daily using instruments balloons filled with hydrogen. These instruments measure temperature, air pressure and humidity over Antarctica at an altitude of 20 km.
Animal world
Birds and animals living in Antarctica were forced to adapt to harsh living conditions both on the mainland, where they live and breed, and in the sea, which serves as their main source of food. Their body is protected from cold by a thick layer of fat or thick fur. Fin whales can stay underwater for more than half an hour. Like many other species of whales, they are protected animals.
The leopard seal feeds on a variety of animals, including penguins and crabeater seal pups. Large gulls nesting near penguin colonies steal their eggs and chicks. Weddell seals can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes. They then float up and breathe through the holes they have made in the ice. In emperor penguins, the eggs are incubated by males. The male holds the egg on folders in a special fold of skin. Some countries engage in commercial krill fishing. There is a danger that mass fishing of krill will lead to the death of the species that feed on it.
Antarctic Treaty
In previous years, explorers who landed in Antarctica declared one or another area the property of their state. This led to disputes over different territories. In 1959, twelve states signed a treaty on Antarctica, which determined its status as a continent free from economic and industrial activity. Today, many countries have joined this treaty.
Antarctica is the only continent under shared international governance. The treaty provides for the protection of Antarctic wildlife. Scientists from one country must share the results of their scientific discoveries with scientists from all countries that have signed this treaty. The only representatives of the army in Antarctica are military personnel involved in scientific research. Snowmobiles are used to get around in Antarctica.
Minerals
Geologists believe that Antarctica has large reserves of coal, iron and copper. The Antarctic Treaty prohibits the development of all minerals, but some countries would like to amend it to allow them to mine them. Many people believe that mining will cause irreparable damage to plants and animals. Airfields and piers will have to be built on coastal lands. It is here that colonies of seals, penguins and...
Greenpeace in Antarctica
Greenpeace, an advocacy organization environment, has its own scientific base in Antarctica. Greenpeace is particularly concerned about the future of the icy continent. The goal of Greenpeace’s efforts is to transform Antarctica into a protected continent, the nature and wildlife of which are protected, and any economic activity person is strictly limited. Greenpeace members advocate for the continuation of scientific research and are fighting to ban mining in Antarctica and its use for military purposes. Greenpeace activists in Antarctica advocate for the protection of its natural ecosystems. They opposed the construction of the airfield by collecting debris and waste accumulated during construction and presenting it to the leaders of the military base. Greenpeace activists demand a ban on whaling.
A story about Antarctica grade 2 contains brief information about this continent. You can supplement your message about Antarctica with interesting facts.
Antarctica short report
Antarctica is a wonderful continent located in the central region of the southern polar region, that is, Antarctica. Antarctica was discovered in 1820 during a Russian expedition to the polar region. It is strikingly different from other continents due to its thick layer of ice, which covers almost the entire continent.
Geography of the continent of Antarctica
The area of Antarctica is about 14 thousand km2. The continent is washed by three oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian, as well as their marginal seas. The continent holds the title of the highest continent on Earth. The average height of Antarctica above sea level is more than 2 km. Since it is a country of ice, it contains more than 90% of the volume of fresh water so valuable to us out of the total volume on our planet.
Climate of Antarctica
Antarctica is characterized by a rather harsh and cold climate. The record low temperature dropped to 90 degrees! And in the summer the thermometer shows the temperature - 20 degrees below zero. It doesn't rain here; precipitation is only possible in the form of snow.
Flora of Antarctica
Due to the harsh climate, the flora of Antarctica is extremely poor. Most of all there are algae here - there are approximately 700 species of them on the continent. On the coast of the continent and on its plains, which are not covered with ice, you can find lichens and mosses. Among the flowering plants there are only two species - Antarctic meadow grass and Quito colobanthus.
* Antarctic meadow grass
Belongs to the cereal family. Grows in illuminated areas of the ground. Meadow bushes are only 20 cm high. It tolerates cold well and even frosts do not harm the appearance of flower stalks.
* Colobanthus quito
Belongs to the carnation family. This herbaceous plant, 5 cm high, has small white or yellow flowers.
Fauna of Antarctica
The fauna of Antarctica can be divided into 2 groups:
- land animals
- aquatic animals
The waters around the continent are teeming with zooplankton. And it, in turn, is the main food for seals and whales, penguins and fur seals. Ice fish also live on the mainland - truly amazing creatures adapted to life in icy water.
The abundance of shrimp attracts blue whales to the shores of Antarctica. The continent's fresh lakes are home to blue-green algae and roundworms, and copepods and daphnia can also be found.
The world of birds on the mainland is represented by penguins, Arctic terns and skuas. In Antarctica you can find 4 species of penguins. Emperor penguins represent the largest colony. Petrels fly to the southern coast of the continent.
There are also few mammals here. These are mainly seals, leopard seals and elephants. Representatives of the dolphin family – black-and-white and sand dolphins – also live in the waters of Antarctica.
The largest numbers on the mainland are invertebrate arthropods. Antarctica is home to 4 species of lice and 67 species of ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and lice beetles.
We hope the information provided about Antarctica has helped you. And you can leave your story about Antarctica using the comment form.
flickr.com/dominique-filippi
about country
Antarctica is an ice-covered continent located at the Earth's south pole, with an area of approximately 14.1 million km2. From Greek, "Antarctica" means "the place opposite the Arctic." The continent is almost 2 times larger than Australia and 1.4 times larger than Europe. Antarctica's ice shelves, with a total area of 0.93 million km2, represent 1/15 of the continent's entire territory and are the source of the largest icebergs on the planet. The continent includes the continent of Antarctica and the adjacent islands (South Shetland Islands, Alexander Island, Peter I Island, Anvers Island, Adelaide Island, etc.). The continent is divided into territories (“lands”) named after their discoverers and historical figures, for example: Kemp Land, McRobertson Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, Coats Land, Ellsworth Land, Wilhelhem Land, etc. Only 3-4% of the area of Antarctica (40 thousand km2) is free from ice cover, these are sections of islands and coasts, “Dry Valleys”, ridges and peaks of the transantarctic mountains (they are also called “nunataks”). The thickness of the Antarctic ice dome is on average 2600 meters; the world's supply of fresh water is concentrated in this ice (about 80% of all fresh water on Earth). Thanks to the ice cover, the continent rises 2000 meters above world sea level. Antarctica was discovered by a Russian scientific expedition in January 1820, its scientific leaders were Mikhail Lazarev and Thaddeus Bellingshausen. Since then, for almost two centuries, scientists from different countries have been constantly studying Antarctica. More than 45 scientific stations from different countries of the world have been built here, including Russia, the USA, China, Japan, Germany and Chile. Among the Russian scientific facilities in Antarctica that are currently operating: Vostok, Novolazarevskaya, Mirny, Bellingshausen and Progress, two more stations are reserved. Antarctica is recognized as a free zone for scientific research. According to the settlement agreement of December 1, 1959, Antarctica cannot belong to any country. The placement of military strategic facilities, nuclear power units and other nuclear carriers is prohibited on the mainland. Every 50 years, this treaty is revised; in 2009, a meeting of countries decided to leave the convention unchanged. Interest in studying the icy continent is growing as the need for new sources of energy resources grows, which, according to experts, are abundant in Antarctica. According to polar scientists, rich sources of oil, gas, precious metals, coal and charcoal are concentrated in the bowels of the continent. The development of such deposits requires enormous funds; scientists from the USA and China are working most actively in this direction today.
Geography of Antarctica
The center of the continent coincides with the southern geographic pole of the earth. Antarctica is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The waters surrounding Antarctica are also called Southern Ocean, its area is conventionally determined within 20 million km2. The continent includes the continent of Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands. The entire territory of the mainland is penetrated by subglacial rivers and lakes.
The area of Antarctica is 14.1 million km. sq.
Population
Population of Antarctica
Due to the cold climate, there is no permanent population in Antarctica. Scientific stations operate here in winter and summer; about 1,000 people are employed on the continent in winter, and about 4,000 people in summer. Tourists visit the continent every year; in 2010, their number was 36,000. It is noteworthy that in 1978, a human child was born for the first time on the mainland; this happened at the Esperanza station, where Argentinean Emilio Marcos Palma was born. In 2004 on the island. Waterloo was lit first Orthodox Temple in Antarctica - Church of the Holy Trinity. In 2007, the first wedding ceremony in Antarctica took place here, the priest blessed Eduardo Aliaga Ilabac (a scientist from Chile) and Angelina Zhuldybina (the daughter of a Russian researcher) for marriage.
Weather in Antarctica
Antarctica is characterized by harsh climatic conditions with low temperatures, strong winds (katabatic winds, the speed of which reaches 300 km/h), snow storms and fog. It never rains here, and the air humidity is almost zero. In the eastern part of the continent in 1983, the lowest temperature in the entire history of meteorological observations was recorded, minus 89.2 Celsius. Winter here lasts from June to August, with an average temperature from -60 to -70 degrees, in summer (December, January, February) - from -30 to -50 degrees. On the coast of Antarctica, the temperature is much higher than the average for the mainland; in winter the thermometer here shows from -8 to -35 degrees, and in summer - from 0 to -5 degrees. The tourist season to Antarctica opens in November-December and ends in March-April.
Sights of Antarctica
Every year Antarctica receives tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world, and every year the tourist flow only increases. Such interest in ice continent explained by the desire to visit an extraordinary, mysterious and deserted place, admire the majestic icebergs of gigantic size, look at the wonderful animals of Antarctica, admire aurora, visit mysterious places and stations of polar scientists, and also enjoy the peace and tranquility of the eternal ice. It should be noted that Antarctica has clear, clean air, which is unusual to the human eye, because of this, objects here seem closer than they really are. The sunlight here is very bright, so all agencies recommend that tourists take good sunglasses and special attachments (lenses) for cameras. Most tourists come to the continent on cruise ships. The organizers of such trips additionally offer their clients diving services (study underwater world Antarctica, including observation of unusual “ice” white-blooded fish); “kayaking” (exploring glaciers and icebergs from the sea on boats called kayaks); mountaineering (climbing Antarctic mountain peaks, including Vinson, Erebus, etc.); camping (services of a tent camp located on the coast); skiing and photo tours. Special attention is given to organizing New Year's tours to Antarctica, during which tourists will be able to meet New Year within the walls of a polar research station. The cost of such cruises averages from 10,000 USD for 13-18 days of travel. Among the attractions of Antarctica, the South Shetland Islands and Deception Island are especially popular. Notable for its volcanic origin and geothermal activity, the island. Deception is part of a once existing volcano; "Dry Valleys" The conditions of this area are close to those on Mars, astronauts are trained here, and the desert itself has been protected by the UNESCO community since 2004; "Bloody Falls" Found in the Dry Valleys, East Antarctica; Ice active volcano Erebus. This is one of highest volcanoes on Earth (3794 m), it is notable for its unusual origin, and the composition of the erupted lava differs significantly from the composition of the eruptions of other terrestrial volcanoes; South Pole. Tours to the South Pole of the Earth are in demand among tourists; the average annual temperature here is -49 degrees. Severe weather conditions do not deter people who want to get to the very southern point Earth. Tour costs from 43,000 USD; Vinson Massif. Vinson Peak is the highest peak in Antarctica, its height is 4892 m; Lake Vanda. One of the saltiest lakes on the planet, its depth is 69 meters. In winter, this lake is covered with a crust of ice, and in summer you can swim here. Particular attention is paid to flora and fauna in Antarctica. Its representatives live mainly in the coastal zone. Vegetation on the mainland is sparse, with some species of mosses and lichens and several flowering plant species found here. But here live unique birds (arctic skuas, skuas, petrels), seals (elephant seals, Ross seals, leopard seals, Weddell seals, etc.), emperor penguins, Adélie penguins, and whales.
Transport
Antarctica can be reached by water or air transport. Tourists travel to Antarctica by plane from Chile and South Africa. Australian airlines organize tourist air excursions to Antarctica, but do not make landing stops. Expedition and cruise ships to Antarctica depart from the shores of Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.
Health
To visit Antarctica as part of a cruise tour, a tourist will need to fill out a special medical questionnaire and submit it to the cruise ship doctor. Each passenger must have his own medical kit, which will contain his personal medications, as well as medications for seasickness. A cruise ship doctor will be able to provide emergency medical assistance to a tourist.
useful links
Search tours
| Travel agency | City | Metro | Contact Information | Prices for tours from |
Antarctica- part of the world that is entirely located in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth.
Antarctica is the only continent on Earth that does not belong to any country in the world. The territory of Antarctica is considered neutral. It is prohibited to establish military bases, deploy ballistic missiles, or extract minerals on the territory of the ice continent. This continent is allowed to be used only for scientific and tourism purposes.
Antarctica is considered a nuclear-free zone. It is prohibited to place nuclear weapons of any kind here. It is prohibited for nuclear power to enter the territorial waters of Antarctica. submarine fleet regardless of the country in the world, as well as nuclear icebreakers and other ships with nuclear reactors on board.
Antarctica was discovered in 1820 by Russian navigators Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. These two brave navigators sailed around the entire Antarctica near its shores and proved that the continent is surrounded on all sides by water.
The first time a person set foot on the shores of Antarctica was a year later, in 1821. The crew of the American ship Cecilia landed on the Antarctic coast. However, this event was not documented. In 1895, the Norwegian Henrik Johann Bull landed on Antarctic soil. This event was documented.
Most often southern continent Norwegians visited. In 1910, Norwegian Roald Amundsen discovered the South Pole. In 1932, the world's first Soviet research station, Vostok, opened in Antarctica. After this, Antarctica began to be populated by numerous researchers from the USSR, Great Britain, Norway, USA, and Australia, who created their own Antarctic stations.
The legal status of Antarctica as a neutral continent is respected by 50 states of the world and 10 observer countries. However, the claims of many countries to own part of the territory of Antarctica remain. Norway, Great Britain, Australia, France, New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina claim their rights to part of the territory of Antarctica. The United States and Russia are keeping themselves apart from these territorial disputes, which have not yet officially declared their rights to own part of the territory of the ice continent, but have many of their own research stations.
The area of Antarctica is 14 million square meters. km. There is no permanent population on this continent, there is only a periodically changing staff of research stations.
98% of Antarctica is covered with permanent ice. And only on two percent of the Antarctic land mass, near the Drake Passage, does the snow melt in the spring and only here do two species of Antarctic flowers grow. The rest of Antarctica is a lifeless icy desert where plants do not grow at all.
The fauna is also concentrated mainly along the coast of the continent. Antarctic penguins and seals live here.
Antarctica is washed on all sides by only one ocean - the Southern Ocean.
The continent is considered the highest on earth. The average height of Antarctica above the level of the World Ocean is 2000 meters; there are areas with an altitude of about 4000 meters.
Almost the entire territory of Antarctica (97%) lies beyond the Antarctic Circle. Here, depending on the latitude, the polar night and polar day dominate. The polar night and polar day reach their greatest length at the South Pole - here the polar night and polar day last for six months.
In a small part of Antarctica (3%) there is a daily change of day and night, but in the astronomical summer the phenomenon of “white nights” is observed.
In Antarctica there is no change of seasons at all; winter reigns here all year round, and the snow melts only on the coast of the continent.
Antarctica is a peculiar continent that never has permanent coastal boundaries. This is primarily due to the fact that 97% of the coastline consists of ice. IN different years degree of melting coastal ice different, why coastline Antarctica is constantly changing, but within small limits. And only one northern extreme point of Antarctica has constant geographic coordinates that have not changed since the discovery of the continent by people - this is Cape Sifre. It is from Cape Sifre that it is closest to South America– the first Chilean island is only 1,300 kilometers from here, and the Drake Passage separates Antarctica from South America.
Antarctica has several distinct mountain ranges: the Antarctic Andes, the Vernadsky Mountains, the Pensacola Mountains, the Prince Charles Mountains, the Transantarctic Mountains, the Ellsworth Mountains, the Russian Mountains (this mountain range was discovered in 1959 by a Soviet research expedition).
The most high point Antarctica - Mount Vinson, which has a height of 4892 meters.
The lowest point is the Bentley Deep, which is 2555 meters deep. This depression is completely filled with ice.
In Antarctica there are extinct volcanoes. The largest of them is Erebus volcano.
Antarctica contains 80% of the world's fresh water reserves, which may in the near future serve as another reason due to which territorial claims of different countries for the right to own this continent may flare up.
Despite its neutral status, Antarctica has its own territorial division. All geographical objects are divided into lands and shores, and on many maps of Antarctica, after the name the country whose researchers discovered this object is signed (not to be confused with belonging to a given state!). On the map of the continent there are shores and lands discovered by researchers from the USA, Great Britain, Belgium, France, Norway, Sweden, Russia, New Zealand, Germany, and Australia.
Antarctica has its own lakes, but they are located deep under the ice. The largest of them is the subglacial Lake Vostok, located next to the Russian research station Vostok. The lake itself is located at a depth of 3700 meters. However, within a few years, Russian scientists were able to drill a well and extract water samples from this lake to the surface. It turned out that living microorganisms live in it. Research to study the largest lake in Antarctica will continue.
Antarctica does not have its own rivers due to the fact that all year round The continent maintains a negative temperature and the movement of water along the riverbed is impossible under such conditions.
Huge blocks of ice - icebergs - repeatedly break off from the mainland, which drift for a long time in the World Ocean until they melt. This is another reason why Antarctica does not have a permanent shape for its coastline.
Scientists claim that the depths of the icy continent contain a huge amount of minerals: iron ore, coal, nickel, lead, molybdenum, zinc, copper, graphite, crystal, mica. However, mining in Antarctica is still prohibited. In the future, the presence of mineral reserves on this continent may serve as a source of increased international tension between countries claiming Antarctic territories.
The climate of Antarctica is very harsh. There is only one climatic zone here - the Antarctic desert zone. The usual temperature here on a polar day is 30 degrees below zero, and on a polar night it can reach 80 degrees below zero. Antarctica is the pole of cold on Earth; the lowest temperature was recorded at the Japanese Antarctic station Fuji Dome in 2013 and it was 91 degrees below zero. On the coast on a polar day, the temperature can sometimes rise to 0 degrees, and sometimes warm up to 5 degrees Celsius. The highest temperature in Antarctica was only 15 degrees Celsius.
- Square13 million 661 thousand km² (together with ice shelves)(1.4 times larger than the US, 58 times larger than the UK)
- Average altitude: 2300 m (highest continent)
- highest peak: Vinson, 5140 m. Coordinates of Vinson 78°35"S, 85°25"E.
- The closest state to Antarctica: Chile (Chilean part of the island of Tierra del Fuego
- Ice-free surface: (0.32% of total) - 44,890 km2
- Largest ice shelves:
Ross Ice Shelf (the size of France) - 510,680 km2
Filchner Ice Shelf (the size of Spain) - 439,920 km2 - Mountains: Transantartic mountain range: - 3,300 km.
- Highest 3 mountains:
Mount Vinson - 4,892 m / 16,050 ft (sometimes called "Mount Vinson")
Mount Tyri - 4,852 m / 15,918 ft
Mount Shin - 4,661 m / 15,292 ft - Ice: Antarctica contains 70% of the world's fresh water in the form of ice and 90% of the ice on earth.
- Ice thickness:
average ice thickness of East Antarctica: 1,829 m.km3 / 6,000 ft
average ice thickness of West Antarctica: 1,306 m.km3 / 4,285 ft - Maximum Ice Thickness: 4,776 m km3 / 15,670 ft, the lowest point in Antarctica, at a depth below sea level: it is Bentley's subglacial trench -2,496 m km3 / 8,188 ft (m km3 - million cubic kilometers)
- Population: approximately 4,000 scientific researchers live in short summer and 1,000 researchers in winter, about 25,000 tourists come in summer. There are no permanent residents here and no residents born on this continent. The first discovery is supposed to have been made by the ancient Greeks, but scientific research was not carried out until 1820. The first human visit to Antarctica was in 1821. The first year-round survey was in 1898. In 1911 there was the first expedition to reach the South Pole.
- Climate: 3 factors control the climate in Antarctica - cold, wind and altitude. Antarctica holds the world record for each of these three factors. The temperature drops as you move closer to the coast as you go downhill and also drops as you move inland.
- Temperature: lowest temperature recorded at Vostok station -89.2°C/-128.6°F;
average summer temperature at the South Pole -27.5°C/-17.5°F;
average winter temperature at the South Pole -60°C/-76°F - Wind: Mawson Station in Antarctica is the windiest place on earth.
- Average wind speed: 37 km/h / 23 mph
- Maximum gust recorded: 248.4 km/h / 154 mph
- Landscape: Antarctica has a varied surface topography - it’s a whole continent. But below are the main land forms: glaciers, coral reefs, deserts, mountains, plains, plateaus, valleys.
Seals
Along with penguins, seals are considered the funniest and most attractive animals in Antarctica. Seals are mammals that spend most of their lives at sea, but unlike whales, they rest and breed on land or (most polar seals) on ice.
There are many more seals in Antarctica than in the Arctic. Crabeater seals are the most numerous and make up almost half of all seals in the world. Antarctica is the most favorable place for such animals, with large fish-rich habitats in the Southern Ocean, drifting pack ice for spawning grounds and the absence of land-based predators such as polar bears and humans. Therefore, the behavior of Antarctic seals differs from the behavior of northern ones. Arctic seals do not experience great fear of humans; they often do not show excitement when approaching them. However, these animals need to be observed from the side, since when a person approaches the spawning grounds, they can cause tense excitement in the female and she may abandon her puppy.
Whales
Whales are among the most mysterious and fascinating animals. The blue whale is considered the largest animal that ever lived on earth, weighing up to 100 tons. Even normal-sized whales are considered huge and impressive animals. Whales are huge, which adds to their mystery and charm. These are very intelligent animals with complex social lives.
Whales belong to a group of mammals called Cetaceans, and they are part of this group along with dolphins and porpoises. Whales are the same mammals as people, dogs, cats, elephants and others. Therefore, they cannot be called simply fish. They breathe air, so they need to rise to the surface of the water for another breath of air. These are live-born animals, the cub of which spends almost the entire year with its mother, feeding on her milk.
Whales are divided into two types, whales with teeth or without teeth.
Toothed whales - Odontoceti
This group includes dolphins, guinea pigs, killer whale dolphins. They have teeth made up of large quantity identical teeth (but very sharp!) so that they can catch slippery prey. Odontocetes are predators of fish or other fast-swimming animals such as squid.
Baleen whales - Mysticeti
These whales have no teeth; they feed on plankton, krill, or even schools of small fish. They then hold their tongues and use it to push all the water through the baleen filters, which keep the small prey inside before they swallow it.
The most famous and prominent representative of sea creatures
PENGUINS
Penguins are stocky birds with wings reduced to fins that help them move through the water. On land, they walk in an upright position with a funny waddling gait.
The body length of most penguins is 60-70 cm, but there are also more. The largest penguin is the Emperor penguin, which is approximately one meter long and weighs up to 41 kg. Penguins nest in numerous colonies consisting of 80,000 birds. The sight, smell and noise from these colonies remains unforgettable. Most birds build nests of stones in which they lay one or two eggs.
General features of penguins:
Since it is impossible to find food on the ice-covered Antarctica, penguins are forced to get food in the sea, searching for which they spend most of their time. All birds are excellent swimmers and can dive to great depths, for example, the Emperor penguin dives to a depth of 250 meters. Their legs and tail act as rudder and their fins act as propellers. They feed mainly on small fish and krill, each catching for themselves individually. Great amount food is consumed by the penguin colony during the mating season. In studies of Adelie penguins, it was found that adult birds make approximately 40 trips to the sea daily during the feeding period of the chicks, and each time they bring with them about half a kilogram of food. For example, at Cape Crozer, a colony of 175,000 penguins brought almost 3,500 tons of fish ashore for their chicks. And the largest rookery on Cape Adar consists of 250,000 birds.
Adélie penguins can swim very quickly, up to 15 kilometers per hour. This gives them the opportunity to jump out of the water directly onto ice floes or the shore. With such a jump, it seems that they are flying. Jumping up to two meters also helps them escape the claws of the predator leopard leopard. Other dangerous enemies of penguins are killer whales in the sea and skuas on land, which feed on their eggs.
Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Emperor penguins are the largest of all penguins. They are approximately one meter long and weigh approximately 30-40 kilograms. They have a black head, a blue-gray neck with a bright orange patch near the ears, and a pale yellow chest that fades to white. They nurse their chicks much longer compared to Adélie penguins. They lay eggs much earlier so that by the summer, rich in variety of food, the chicks can already be independent. In the polar autumn (April-May), penguins gather in numerous colonies on sea ice in protected bays. The only egg laid by the female in May or early June is incubated by the male during the two coldest months. It warms the egg with the brood pouch at the bottom of the belly between the legs; this place, consisting of skin and feathers, can warm the egg up to +50 °C. Males arrive at nesting sites well-fed, with a thick layer of fat, which is especially developed on the belly. But during incubation, all this fat reserve (about 5-6 kg) is consumed. Penguins lose up to 40% of their weight, lose a lot of weight, their plumage becomes dirty, completely losing its original shine and silkiness. Females fatten up at sea during these two months, then they return to the colony and change places with their partner. Afterwards, the already fattened males return to the female and both parents take part in feeding the chicks together. By the end of January, by the beginning of February, the chicks moult and are ready to try to plunge into the sea. They spend their first two years of life at sea or on pack ice.
The emperor penguin is unique among the birds of Antarctica. It breeds in winter, on the ice along the continent's coast and in one colony during Antarctica's worst season, in almost continuous darkness. During very cold periods, birds gather in dense clusters to keep warm against each other. Like great petrels, penguins can live 30-40 years.
Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Adélie is the most numerous of the penguins in Antarctica. Its body length is 60-70 cm, weight is approximately 5.5 kg. Females and males do not differ in color; they have a black head, neck and back, a white belly and a white rim around the eyes. They spend the winter on glaciers in the sea, and in early spring they come to land to breed.
They return to the same place every year and usually to the same colony. The males arrive first and establish nests, after mating in early November the female lays two eggs and returns to sea for 8-15 days while the males incubate the eggs. For four weeks, the males do not feed while incubating the eggs, and by the end of the period, when the females return, they have lost up to half their body weight.
In the subsequent months of the incubation period and after the chicks hatch, they take turns to go out to sea in search of prey. They return with fish or krill in their beaks and feed the chicks.
Freezing temperatures interfere with biological metabolic functions in Antarctica. The moisture trapped in the ice makes the continent the largest desert on the entire planet. For these reasons, Antarctica is rated as one of the most inhospitable environments in the solar system. Sometimes our Antarctica is compared to a place similar to the planet Mars.